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Cedar Plank Salmon - First Try Success!

Tried salmon for the first time on the BGE. I have to say it turned out incredible! I marinated it in soy sauce for a couple of hours and sprinkled Paul Prudhommes Salmon seasonings. Cooked for 30 minutes at 375 - 400.
Thanks for all the help from the board.

Not sure how I missed this, must have been the holiday stupor, sorry @rabdogg. Looks great.

I use standard hand split cedar shake heavies, the same as on the roof of my house. They are Pacific Northwest untreated red cedar. Although 24" long, I trim off about 12" to fit in my MBGE. Use the thick end as a BBQ plank, the thin end as kindling for the air tights. Check your local lumber yards to see if you can get untreated, the treated ones have preservatives and fire retardants, not exactly the best choice for a great tasting cook.

Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!

I had a semi-fail on cedar planked salmon tonight. As I was taking them off, the planks caught fire. I'm standing there with burning planks with salmon on them. Mrs. 500 scrambles to get a cookie sheet for them. Quite a fire show. No after pics as it wasn't that impressive to look at cause I mangled it scraping it off the plank. My fire was at 400*, but the planks had only soaked for 1 hour before I started. Organic Scottish Salmon, DP Raging River, Lemon, Capers

I always do planking indirect, just make sure you soak the planks in water for 30min to an hour. The plank acts as the indirect cooking method and it also adds the flavor from the wood into your salmon.

I had a semi-fail on cedar planked salmon tonight. As I was taking them off, the planks caught fire. I'm standing there with burning planks with salmon on them. Mrs. 500 scrambles to get a cookie sheet for them. Quite a fire show. No after pics as it wasn't that impressive to look at cause I mangled it scraping it off the plank. My fire was at 400*, but the planks had only soaked for 1 hour before I started. Organic Scottish Salmon, DP Raging River, Lemon, Capers

I do mine overnight, into the laundry tub with brick. Never a fire, some smoke and char, but no fire.

Maybe you've invented a whole new twist on Salmon Diane - and no brandy wasted.....

Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!

I think only soaking it for an hour was my problem. I may be wrong but I thought the purpose of the plank was not to "smoke" it, but like @Skiddymarker said, to steam or sizzle it on the plank. Anyone out there with more planking experience, please chime in. I'm thinking I don't want it to start smoking. It did a few times during my fiasco last night. The family was not a fan of cedar planked salmon. I need a new salmon recipe, or just stop cooking it altogether.

Large BGE; Midlothian, VirginiaI like Pig Butts and I can not lie.
"Barbecue is a journey, one meal at a time."

I've only done it once, and I soaked the plank for several hours and cooked it direct on the small. The bottom of the blank was pretty crispy and black by the time the salmon was finished cooking. I felt like I got some smoke from the plank. It definitely imparted a cedar-ish flavor to the salmon, which I thought quite good but perhaps a little on the strong side. Perhaps a longer soak or more distance from the coals might be a good way to reduce the burning of the blank.

I noticed @rabdogg has his planks on the grid extender. I think that is a good call.

Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg.

@500 - try it indirect, 350-450 dome, some like a hot fire which cooks the outside, leaves the inside a touch "rare", others like it evenly cooked so a cooler fire.

I get at least 2, sometimes 4 cooks from the same plank (shake).

Cedar is not the most desired smoking chip/chunk, great for moth control in closets, not so good for flavor in smokers. When was the last time you saw cedar chips, other than to line small animal cages?

Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!

I was under the impression that you wanted plank to smoke, to impart the flavor to the salmon. Otherwise, why would you use it? Why not a pizza stone? I do mine raised direct at 400 and pull when the IT is 140.

We do ours with a soy sauce/honey/fresh ginger/olive oil marinade. Skin side down on a (soaked) cedar plank, 425 for 22 minutes. I raise the plank a little bit off the main grate, direct heat, with only the plank between the fish and the grate.

Planking is a good way to prepare salmon. My personal preference is not cedar. It seems to add a flavor I describe as turpentine. There are other planks available like alder that goes very well with salmon. I always use a chunk with salmon for the smoke and when I use a plank it is usually alder also.

My wife invited her mom to join us for the big game. I am using Chef P's seasoning rubbed in with some EVOO on top of some cedar planks I snagged at Costco. The air is rare here so cooks usually take me a bit longer, looking at around 30-35 min or whenever the thermometer tells me its done. pics to follow